Gift of a break

Several years ago, I ran across an Indian proverb which caught my

attention while preparing to speak at a holiday event. This experience

caused a pause in my otherwise wildly busy day. I had been running and

gunning since 4:30 am, with no break to that point nor any possibility of a

break in my foreseeable future. 

I couldn’t take a break because I was leading a team of “go

getters” who seem to run tirelessly through the day. They had a plan, a

purpose, and a passion to “get-r-done” as the saying goes. My mindset

told me I needed to be there, but was that really true?

The proverb I read included these words “A bow will soon break if

you keep it always bent.” Any archer will speak to the truth of this

proverb. If you keep tension on a bow, over a period of time it loses its

elasticity. When this occurs, your bow loses effectiveness and efficiency,

and any amount of tension can shatter the bow.

I’ve watched numerous leaders get overwhelmed and overcome by

stress and anxiety because they would not give themselves the gift of a

break. Don’t be that kind of leader. Quit! Remember it is better to take a

break than it is to break, especially if you are a leader. As a leader, it is

vitally important for you to give yourself permission to take a break, just

as you do for those who work with you.